Appreciative Inquiry “at Work”

September 8th, 2009

If you have not already heard of Appreciative Inquiry, check out AI Commons and learn a bit about AI and it’s founder David Cooperrider.  I first became acquainted with AI from a colleague; that inspired me to attend the AI Conference in Orlando Florida in 2008.  Since then, I use the principles of AI regularly in the work I do with organizations.  This summer, I took extensive training with Jane Magruder Watkins and Maureen McKenna on using the theory of AI in practice.

Here’s a quick peek at the principles of AI:

  • organizations (and the humans within) grow in the direction of their most frequent inquiries; when we appreciate what is best about ourselves and each other, and ask questions about that, we get more of what’s best
  • we learn about and create more success by asking ‘what is the root cause of success?’  (as opposed to creating more failure by asking ‘what is the root cause of our failure?’
  • we get higher performance by focusing on our strengths, rather than ‘fixing’ our weaknesses (inquiring about weaknesses begets more weaknesses)
  • our inquiries are fateful…the questions we ask set the stage for what we find; instead of asking ‘what is stopping us from being successful?, we need to ask ‘what is contributing to our success?’
  • our perceptions determine reality (not the other way around)
  • we socially contruct our organizations (and families, and world); our interactions are the source for what is true for us; so AI requires that the entire system (organization, family) participate in the process
  • we create what we imagine…we will notice what we anticipate, positive or negative, so anticipating a positive image of ourselves, each other, and our organizations, helps us to create that reality
  • the phases of AI are Discovery (inquiring about what’s right, what our strengths are, what is occurring when we are at our best); Dream (imagining our organization as we desire it in the future); Design (identifying the elements that will construct the dream organization); and Destiny (realizing our destiny, as we have constructed it)

There is much evidence that what we think about affects our actions which in turn determine our reality.  Most of us would agree with this idea.  Now we have the practice of Appreciative Inquiry which provides us with a process that works!

 

 

 

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Positive Psychology in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

July 17th, 2009

I recently returned from The First World Congress on Positive Psychology in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  In keeping with the P theme - one word encapsulates my experience there: Powerful!  What follows is a summary of a few of my key take-aways from the Congress.

Ed Diener spoke on ‘New Findings on Happiness’: there is a difference between wanting and liking…happiness is impacted most when we learn to WANT what we LIKE.  You might WANT the high-paying executive job, but not LIKE the work that comes with that job.  If you LIKE the outdoors, learn to WANT or desire finding work that helps you do what you LIKE.  He also shared some findings about the latest Positive Psychology research, like the study you might have read that said married people are happier.  Diener said the newest research is showing – not so much that married people are happier – but that happier people tend to be married!  Interesting…

Giovanni Fava, from Italy, spoke on ’Well-Being Therapy’: he shared a powerful example of how people can identify and modify dysfuctional beliefs (or thoughts) to positively affect their well-being.  For example, if you keep a journal of your internal dialogue throughout the day and you notice a thought like ‘I can’t do this’, you can immediately decide to change the thought to ‘I can do the best I can and see what happens’.  They key is to identify the dysfuctional thought and then consider a modification of that thought, and notice what happens in terms of how you feel.  One way to modify the internal dialogue is to write down what an ‘external observer’ might say about the situation that is causing you difficulty; record an alternative interpretation…then notice what might shift for you.

Michael Frese, from Germany, discussed positive psychology at work – his research confirms that people do best at work when they are active; being able to set goals and take personal initiative positively affect achievement at work.  There is a “clear and strong correlation between personal initiative (which engages and ignites positive emotion) and performance”. 

Raymond Fowler discussed positive health and positive aging in his session “how to die young as late as possible”.  He made a compelling argument to support the point that when you die is a matter of choice – or a series of choices (eating, exercising, all the stuff we all know).  Positive emotion is critical in a long life; happier people are healthier (fewer bad habits, better nutrition, take better care of themselves).  

Barbara Fredrickson discussed Positivity – the Pathway to Flourishing.  She shared her “positivity prescription” on 3 to 1 to reinforce that you need the levity of positivity to counterweight the gravity of negativity.  Fredrickson shared her ‘Broaden and Build’ theory of positive emotion; when you experience and express positive emotion, you live longer.  It’s not enough just to ‘be positive’, the positive emotion must be genuine and heartfelt.  To create a mindset of positivity. be:

  • open
  • appreciative
  • curious
  • kind
  • real (authentic)…sincerity counts!

Visit Fredrickson’s website for free resources.

David Cooperrider was a true highlight at the conference.  He completely captivated the audience with his hopeful message on ‘The Discovery and Design of Positive Institutions’.  Mr. Cooperrider, generous in nature, makes his slides from the conference available at aicommons@case.edu.  The message from Appreciative Inquiry is ‘change at the scale of the whole’.  Ai involves a shift to see the world anew.  Mr. Cooperrider shared with us a foundation of AI; that the question we ask determines what we find.  If we look for deficits (what’s wrong here?) we find more deficits; if we look for possibilities (what’s right here?) we find more possibility.  Most organizations look for what’s wrong and let strengths take care of themselves.  AI encourages us to focus on strengths and the weaknesses will take care of themselves.  The approach is 1) appreciate the best of what is, imagine what might be, design what could be and create what will be.  The key is in the inquiry…the inquiry must be the change we wish to see in the world (not the one we want to avoid or to eliminate).

The conference ended with some words from Chris Peterson that encouraged us to look in the mirror as we are the future, and Martin Seligman, renouned as the father of Positive Psychology, who introduced a new term, ‘Positive Neuroscience’.  I, for one, am looking forward to hearing more about that in the future.  What about you?

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Leadership is about Asking, not Telling

June 12th, 2009

A client emailed me last week.   ‘Deri, I can’t stop thinking about what you said in the workshop…about how leaders often talk too much, when they should just be quiet and listen instead.’  During the workshop ‘Emotional Intelligence: The Leader’s Advantage’ I shared with the group something that Marshall Goldsmith shared with a thousand or so of us who attending the National Speakers Association conference last year in New York.  Goldsmith is renowned as the world authority on leadership and he shared his observations from coaching leaders over the last decade.  Leaders have to ’stop adding so much value’ he told us.  When a staff member brings a suggestion to the leader, the leader’s response is often to offer advice or suggestions to improve the idea.  Goldsmith says, while the leader may actually improve the quality of the idea by 20% with the extra advice, they decrease the commitment to the idea by 60%.  That idea resonated with me at the time…and clearly it resonated with my client as well.  ‘I always though that was what I was supposed to do as a leader’, my client added in her email.  ‘I thought THAT was my job!’  My experience shows that she is not alone; many leaders think the reason they got where they are is because they know so much (have so many answers).  When, in fact, the best leaders are those who inspire their staff by asking lots of questions – stimulating their thinking (over which they will have ownership … and commitment).

I thought about this the other day when my daughter said to me ‘mom, can I tell you about something that happened at school…and I don’t want any advice’?  Wow, that was an ‘aha’ moment!  I realized that I was doing at home what I have also done as a leader…offering advice too quickly.  So, the next time a team member approaches you with an idea…ask questions, don’t tell answers.  Then, notice what happens!

By the way, this – like any behaviour change – will take you a while to get used to (it won’t become a new habit right away).  Go easy on yourself.  In fact, tell your team what you want to do (do more asking than telling) and ask them to keep you in check.  That way, when they really want your advice, they will let you know.  And when they don’t, you have given them permission to remind you!

Let me know how it goes.

 

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Abundance or Scarcity?

May 31st, 2009

A colleague sent me an email the other day.  It was a ‘thank you’ note for my generosity.  This colleague had asked me to speak with one of her contacts who is planning to start a speaking, training and consulting business such as mine.  My colleague was impressed at how freely I shared my experience and provided tips to this new business owner; ‘even though’, she said, ‘this person might be in direct competition with you.’

I have reflected on that note ever since I received it.  I can honestly report that every opportunity, every positive experience, every good thing that has happened to me in my life and career, has occured when I came from a place of abundance rather than one of scarcity.  Each time the opposite has been true; when I have had problems, when I felt horrible about myself, and when good things were ‘not so much’ my experience, I was coming from a place of scarcity.

So, how can we create a sense of ‘abundance’.  I have a strategy I’d like to share with you.  I call it L.O.T.S. 

Look at, focus on, all of the good things that have happened in your life. 

Own your perspective.  Realize that you can choose to feel abundant and generous. 

Take action.  Don’t over-analyze the pros and cons…just do it! 

Share information, tips, and resources with people around you.

L.O.T.S. will turn into M.O.R.E.;

Meaning: your generosity will create an enhanced sense of meaning for you.  

Opportunities: People will think of you when they have information to share.   

Resources: Your store of resources will be increasingly replenished and grow.     

Energy: Your positive emotion will be engaged! 

Another paradox in life…the more you give away, the more you get!

Some workplaces practice scarcity; information is hoarded (almost as though the sharer risks losing it by sharing it), equipment is hidden, secrets are whispered.  Imagine how different it would be if everyone changed their perspective to one of abundance: Information is shared freely (believing that more shared creates more), equipment is available and accessible to whoever needs it, there are no secrets. 

How does your workplace stack up?  Does your team act ‘abundant’? 

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The Positive Psychology of “Meaning”

April 30th, 2009

I dragged my butt over to the school to set up for Staff Appreciation Week.  ‘How come it’s always the same people who volunteer for these things?’ I muttered to myself, a bit resentfully.  My children’s school has over 600 students, and yet it appears that it is the same small group of parents volunteering for most school events.  At times, when my life is crazy busy and I am leaving my family ONCE AGAIN to head out to volunteer, I wonder what I am doing spending MY time to serve the needs of others.

Then, I walk in the front door of school.  It’s early in the morning, and the hallways are already ‘abuzz’ with kids and teachers getting ready to begin their day.  The first person I see is our Principal.  ‘Good Morning’ she says.  ‘Good Morning to you’ I say back.  She is dressed in a fabulous red leather blazer and looks refreshed and cheerful.  I realize how much I appreciate her; not, of course, for how she dresses, but for the kind of engaged and energized person that she is.

‘Thanks for all the treats’ she says.  I smile and say something like ‘you are so welcome; you deserve to be treated’.  I can’t help but smile inside and out as she genuinely smiles at me in that moment.

I head into the staff room.  There are a few staff members assembled and I greet them as I head to our ‘treat table’ (a table of cookies, cakes, cupcakes, candies, squares, and other yummy things baked by caring parents).  ‘Good morning’ I say to them as I pass.  ‘Good morning’ they respond, and add ‘thank you so much for all the great treats, we really appreciate them’.  ‘You are so welcome’ I say; feeling it even more than the last time, when I said it to the Principal.

I continue preparing the table of treats; I see a number of teachers coming in to fill a plate with some treats to take back to their class.  ‘Thank you’ is a regular comment in my direction.  ‘You are welcome’ is my response.  Each ‘thank you’ elevates my energy.  Each ‘you’re welcome’ from me elevates my energy also.  ’What is happening?’ I wonder.  I feel really energized! 

I returned to the school a couple of more times that day; to clean crumbs off the ‘treat table’ and to re-stock it to look inviting to school staff.  Each time I returned, I was bombarded with appreciation from the staff (who, we were appreciating with all the treats!)  I suddenly realized…it is a “gift” to volunteer.   

 Martin Seligman, the ‘father’ of Positive Psychology, speaks and writes about the connection between happiness and meaning; doing things that are not about self-interest but about the greater good.  I think that’s what happened during Staff Appreciation Week for me.  I certainly had considered this reality as I learned about, and became certified in, Emotional Intelligence ; yet there was nothing that could match the power of a ‘real’ experience.

So, the next time you find yourself muttering and wondering why you are doing something (that you know is good for others, yet you are feeling personally drained and maybe even a little self-centred); pay attention!  I’ll bet you will discover that the biggest payoff to volunteering is to the payoff to YOU.

“Meaning” is indeed a personal experience…and the best way to experience “meaning” is not in serving yourself, but in serving others.  I think that is a paradox “in” action!!

What do you think?

 

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